About the Ship

Imagine awe over discovering fantastic vistas in The Last Frontier. Imagine exhilaration while exploring the wilds of Alaska. Imagine relaxation upon finding your slice of paradise in The Caribbean. Imagine Bliss.

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About Us

The beauty of sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line is all our ships are built to offer freedom and flexibility to all our guests. With Freestyle Dining®, we do not have set dining times or set tables, and we offer a variety of complimentary and specialty restaurants on board so guests are free to dine where they want, when they want. That gives them the freedom and flexibility to follow their every whim. Your guests want the kind of vacation they’ll talk about for years to come and we want them coming back again and again. When they take to the sea with Norwegian, they’ll find out what it means to Feel Free.

Insider Tip

Check out Norwegian’s current Free At Sea offer for the latest amenities and savings available.

Terms & Conditions

Offers apply to select sailing(s). Fares are cruise only, per person, based on double occupancy, in U.S. Dollars. Government taxes & fees, and onboard service charges are additional. IMPORTANT NOTICE: NCL reserves the right to charge a fuel supplement without prior notice should the closing price of West Texas Intermediate Fuel increase above US$65 per barrel on the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index). In the event a fuel supplement is charged, NCL will have sole discretion to apply the supplementary charge to both existing and new bookings, regardless of whether such bookings have been paid in full. Such supplementary charges are not included in the cruise fare. The fuel supplement charge will not exceed US$10.00 per passenger per day. Offers are based on availability, are capacity controlled, and combinability with other offers is subject to change or cancellation at any time per Norwegian discretion.Other restrictions apply. Norwegian is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions. c2011 NCL Corporation Ltd. Ships' Registry: Bahamas and United States of America.

Explore the Solomon R. Guggenheim with a guide, before it opens to the public. Perfect for first time visitors, the Highlights Tour focuses on the museum’s Frank Lloyd Wright-designed architecture, permanent collection, and introduces the special exhibition on view. Guests are free to explore the museum on their own after the guided tour.

The guest(s) will meet their BEYOND TIMES SQUARE Host and Broadway cast member at Sardi's about two-and-a-half hours prior to the show for an hour-long visit.

Learn of the actor’s most nerve-wracking auditions, survival jobs before landing on Broadway, embarrassing moments on stage, etc.

After the visit, the cast member goes to the theatre to prepare for the show. The guest(s) are on their own until curtain.

Before the actor leaves for the theatre, find out what costumes they are wearing in the show, so you’re sure to pick them out! Enjoy the show, watching your new “friend” on stage.

When the curtain comes down, the BEYOND TIMES SQUARE Host will meet the guest(s) again and escort them to the stage door. Walking past the police barricades and through the stage door, the guest(s) will be exposed to the most private of private places on Broadway, as well as a chance to take pictures standing on the stage. Again, the BEYOND TIMES SQUARE Host will coordinate the post-show visit between the cast member and guest(s).

Guests arrive and are met by their museum guide for a private one hour pre-opening tour of the highlights. Afterwards, they are given early entrance and VIP seating to the Space Show. Following the show they are free to explore the museum. They have “skip the line access” to all special exhibits and VIP seating for the IMAX show. Program begins at 9:00am; we ask that visitors arrive on time. Guests can stay in the museum for as long as they wish until closing.

Over Five Million people visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art each year. It is always ranked in the top five museums in the world. Everyday there is a line outside for those who want to enter. Today for you, there is no line, there are no other people. Just you and the people you choose to be with you. Your Met specialist guide will meet you in the grand entrance of the Museum and take you to see some of the world master pieces alone, with no one in your way. Walk through the Temple of Dendur, the Greek and Roman Galleries, visit the self portrait of Vincent van Gogh (it is pretty much just you and him) and so many other treasures. When you return to the foyer the masses are entering, but you have already been there and done that with no one around.

Designed and built for the US NAVY, the 24-foot Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat will take you on an unforgettable ride through the New York harbor. You’ll experience the city from unique vantage points and your captain will stop the boat at many places along the way to point out landmarks and give you the opportunity to take photos.

Hear about the titans and legends who helped move the Broadway Theatre District from its 1800’s beginnings in Herald Square north to Times Square. The tour travels from the southern end of the Broadway Theatre District on 41st Street to 45th Street in between 6th and 8th Avenues. Highlights include the rise and fall of 42nd Street, Roof Top Gardens, and ghost stories, in addition to the tour guide’s personal stories. The tour guide is equipped with an iPad chock full of one-of-a-kind photos and videos to further enhance each story.

Some of the theatres you will be walking past during this tour include: The Netherlander, The New Amsterdam, The Lyric, The Stephen Sondheim, etc.

Spring & Fall are perfect times for a bike ride. And when it comes to beautiful scenery mixed with delicious locally produced wine, spirits, and gourmet food, it’s hard to beat this ride in the beautiful Hudson Valley.

With your detailed instructions in hand, catch the Metro North train out of Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan and enjoy the beautiful 2-hour scenic ride to Poughkeepsie, NY. Upon arrival in Poughkeepsie, your bike support coordinator will be there to welcome you and help you set up your bike.

This bike ride packs a lot of highlights into only 20 miles of riding. Vault across the Hudson River on the Walkway Over the Hudson, then experience two beautiful rail trails on a mostly car-free ride to the town of Gardiner, where your bicycling adventure takes a turn to explore the local flavors of the Hudson Valley:

- Sample a few local ciders, while you enjoy a fabulous lunch featuring food from local farms

- Take a tour of a charming distillery and have a tasting of their award-winning whisky or other spirits

- Enjoy a wine tasting in a beautiful surrounding at the end of your day

Your bike support coordinator will be meeting you at different stops during the day and will share with you his knowledge of the Hudson Valley.

Please note that this is a self-guided experience. Your bike support coordinator will check in on you at multiple locations during your ride. You can also reach them via cell phone if needed. The bike support coordinator travels by mini-van and at any time you have the option of ending your ride and instead be escorted to the next stop by mini-van.

The experience begins wandering down a hidden street to find the unmarked entrance, which transports you to an opulent antique interior. At this NYC speakeasy, the presentation of a cocktail is just as dramatic as the cocktail itself. The bar is no longer a bar. It’s a stage. A chemistry lab. A theatre.

Indulge in a spectrum of specialty cocktails infused with exotic herbs, fruits, and botanicals.

- Prohibition Era: let your mixologist lead you into the history, mystery and birth of the classic cocktail during the Prohibition Era (1919-1933) while experimenting with Early American cocktails like the Sazerac, French 75, and Old Fashioned.

- Agave Master: from the Ancient Mayan Ruins to the modern day of agave fields of Oaxaca, Tequila and Mezcal have played an integral part of the Mexican history. Learn about the history, flavor profiles and differences in blue and subspecies of agaves.

- Absinthe Minded: few spirits have inspired as much controversy and allure as absinthe. Let your mixologist lead you on a journey of the rise, fall, and recent resurrection of absinthe. Learn the traditional preparation, as well as classic and signature absinthe cocktails.

Follow in the footsteps of young wizards on a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in search of art that echoes characters, places, and enchanted objects in the famed Harry Potter books and movies. Be prepared to track down a powerful sorceress, a Snape-like potions master, flying owls and dragons, Hagrid-like giants, centaurs and unicorns like those you’d see in the Forbidden Forest, strange mermaids and sharks that seem straight out of the Triwizard Tournament, fierce knights in armor, and cloaked and masked figures as scary as any Death Eater or Dementor.

This hunt is not an addition to or variation on Harry Potter’s adventures, but instead references to the books will provide a surprising bridge to many stranger and wonderful works of art. It’s a great way to discover – or rediscover – the Met.

Museum of Natural Hysteria Scavenger Hunt at the American Museum of Natural History

Kids and adults work together on a scavenger hunt that reveals the weirdest, the wildest, and the wackiest secrets of the Museum of Natural History. You won’t be collecting objects – drop that fossil! – you’ll be searching for answers to tricky and humorous questions about the amazing exhibits you discover.

Along the way, your team will search for snakes in Africa, touch ancient meteorites and dinosaur bones, find out your weight on the moon, discover why a T.Rex shouldn’t stand up, mingle with cavemen, and so much more.

Do what the Broadway performers do before hitting the stage. Prior to the big day, you will work with a Broadway producer to choose a song and dance. Upon arriving to the Broadway rehearsal studio, you’ll meet Broadway pros you’ll be working with. First, rehearse the vocal with a Broadway musical director. Get coaching and learn tricks of the trade. Then, get on your feet to learn the choreography with a Broadway pro. A prop or costume piece will be added to enhance your presentation. A “photo call” will take place before opening the doors for your guests. Finally, step into the spotlight and blow away friends and family, who are welcome to take photos and video!

What could be better than a guided bike ride in Central Park, the first landscaped public park in the USA? Your guide, a city-licensed professional, rides alongside you and shows you all that the park has to offer: Bethesda Fountain, hidden waterfalls, cast-iron bridges, movie scenes, celebrity homes, and skyscrapers, all while passing beneath many of the park’s 26,000 trees. You’ll learn the history of New York City, told in terms of the development of the city and its parks. You’ll bike right up to Strawberry Fields, the memorial to the life of John Lennon, to see the famous building where he lived, and much more!

Lower Manhattan is an open-air art gallery with masterpieces from artists like Daniel Chester French, Isamu Noguchi, Keith Haring and many others which you will discover on this unique walking tour.

On this tour, you will take a stroll down Broadway and then meander through Battery Park. With each piece you visit, you and your tour guide will take the time to deconstruct the image, understand the context of the piece of art, discuss what is known about it and then share reactions. You will be sampling art not only from different eras but also art that has different purposes: propaganda, place-making, reflection, honoring an idea or group, whimsy, and more.

This elegant neighborhood is host to galleries tucked into townhouses and former mansions, which showcase 19th and 20th century art through contemporary. Enjoy a lecture about exciting exhibitions, as well as insight into the inner workings of the art business.

Visits to galleries specializing in post-war and contemporary art such as Levy-Gorvy, Gagosian, Venus Over Manhattan, Acquavella and Skarstedt can be arranged.

Museum spaces in the neighborhood such as the Met Breuer or Institute for the Study of the Ancient World can also be included depending on the guests’ interests (additional cost for entrance fees might be incurred).

In recent years, New York City has become home to dozens of premium ice cream shops manufacturer and gelaterie. Using top quality ingredients like local, organic milk, fresh fruit, and single origin chocolate, and presenting the ingredients in novel ways, these new ice cream artisans are changing how we think about ice cream.

This taste and rate tour features visits to four shops where guests will learn about the process of ice cream making, differences between gelato and ice cream, and what makes a premium ice cream.

This walking tour highlights the East Village as an important center for small-batch, frozen treats.

Your guide is a well-respected culinary historian, cookbook author and culinary educator with a specialty in fine chocolate and other artisanal foods. Her accolades include a certificate of outstanding achievement from The James Beard Foundation and a book award from The International Association of Culinary Professionals. From Jacques Pepin to Julia Child, Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Jacques Torres, Anthony Bourdain and Padma Lakshmi, she has worked with the most distinguished culinary talent.

Experience a private culinary class in a charming studio in the heart of Greenwich Village, just south of Washington Square. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced home cook, you will benefit from the experience of classically trained chefs, who will share with you their most popular recipes in hands-on sessions. Expand your skills, gain confidence in the kitchen, and learn tips of the trade while preparing a 3-course meal made with fresh, seasonal produce. At the end of the class, enjoy the meals you’ve just cooked at the studio’s beautiful table.

Chocolate is practically a part of human DNA; records of its early use date back over three millennia to ancient Mesoamerican society. But though many love its rich flavor, few understand the breadth of its long history, let alone how it’s produced or how to distinguish between varieties.

Uncover the immense world of cacao alongside one of the leading chocolate scholars, producer of 92 Y’S Annual Chocolate Fest, and the media’s go-to person for all matters pertaining to chocolate’s history. With cocoa beans literally in hand, begin the day with an overview of chocolate’s origins and the bean-to-bar process. Your guide will cover all the basics, including cacao genetics, single origin and blended chocolates, and how fine chocolate compares to its mass produced counterpart. Once you’ve boosted your chocolate background, dive into the decadent goods themselves with a tasting session, where you’ll learn to sample like a pro and use the vocabulary of fine chocolatiers to describe the flavors. Leave with a deeper perspective of chocolate and a more than satiated palate. The tour will end at a chocolate shop to allow time for shopping.

Since their creation, cupcakes have become a pop culture trend in the culinary world. In the early 21st century, a trend for cupcake shops, known as cupcakeries, which are specialized bakeries that sell little or nothing except cupcakes, developed in the United States, playing off the sense of nostalgia evoked by the cakes. There are dozens of upscale bakeries in New York City. Shops like Magnolia Bakery gained publicity in their appearance on popular television shows like Sex and the City.

On the tour, you will taste and rate your way through some of the city's best cupcakes, ranking them on presentation, frosting quality/style, and moistness/crumb density. Learn about trends in the cupcake world, visit a commercial kitchen, and learn about the cupcake's unlikely origins. Your guide’s credentials speak for themselves – she taught the first food history course ever offered at The New School here in NYC, and has written all about cupcakes’ history and culture for the Oxford Encyclopedia Companion to Sugar and Sweets.

We are very excited to offer an outstanding Thanksgiving viewing package in New York City. We offered it for two years now and it was a smash hit both times. That may sound like a bold statement, so let us back it up:

1) We have limited the viewing spaces to 75 guests and we have booked the entire floor. This will make the viewing less crowded and just our guests. No outsiders.

2) A full three-hour event so you can see all of the parade come by our windows and also have to time to partake of our delicious buffet and brunch cocktail bar.

3) Our viewing space is right on parade route. It is not set back from the street like other viewing areas. Who wants to be 20 feet from the parade?

4) Our viewing area is on the second floor, not street level, so you are eye level with the balloons coming by allowing you to get the best pictures. (get your iPhones ready).

5) Our guests receive a commemorative silicone wrist band which will allow them to enter, leave and reenter the event. Why is this important? Sometimes the kids (& adults) want to go outside to experience the parade. Since they have the wrist bands they do not have to worry about getting back inside the event space.

Meet your horse and carriage at the corner of 59th Street and 5th Avenue. Take a leisurely ride through Central Park, seeing the South End Quadrant (Central Park South to the Lake, just north of Terrace Drive), which includes the views from the small loop plus Balto’s Statue, Summer Stage, Conservatory Water, the Bandshell, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Cherry Hill, the Lake, Strawberry Fields, the Dakota building where John Lennon lived, Tavern on the Green, Sheep Meadow, and Columbus Circle. The carriage ride is 45 minutes. You end with a wonderful picnic set and waiting for you.

Picnic Lunch

The Gold Picnic is one of our personalized, butler-serviced picnics. We create a personalized picnic experience that includes the best meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, and crudités New York City has to offer, just for you, and we never forget something special for dessert. When you arrive at your picnic spot, one of our picnic experts will have everything set up, ready and waiting for you. When you’re finished, simply walk away. We take care of the clean up!

Say goodbye to the crowds, lines, and hassles of boarding a public sightseeing cruise; your private yacht awaits. You board and are greeted with champagne, then your captain welcomes you and explains the itinerary for the evening. You and your party are on board and it is time to depart. You smell the dinner being prepared as the chef is at work in the kitchen. You then step through the glass door and you are outside watching the bright lights of New York City go by. You wave to Ms. Liberty as she looks over the harbor and you nibble on hors-d’oeuvres. You are surrounded by friends and you know this is going to be the best night of your visit to NYC.

We have multiple size yachts to suit any need. We offer both motor and sailing yachts. Romantic dinners for two, family outings, corporate events, and sightseeing are all available. From 2 guests to 600.

The tour starts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and makes its way through the hoods of Greenpoint, Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO. All along the way we're providing commentary (via walkie-talkies and headsets) about local culture and interesting history while showcasing beautiful parks, great bars and restaurants, boutique shops and nightlife. Highlights include a visit to an artisan chocolate factory, samples at a waterfront bakery and a slice of pizza from an authentic Brooklyn pizzeria.

The backstage door. An unmarked but well-known feature on Broadway. The fans know where it is. They wait to catch a glimpse of their favorite leading man, maybe get a photograph or even eye contact. For you it is a little more concrete. After the performance, you will be met and escorted backstage. See the real deal behind the scenes of a Broadway production. The stage left and stage right, the sets, the costume change areas, and all the pieces that make a show come together. Your escort will make the rounds with you to meet the cast members, take some photos, and get some autographs. When you are done, you stroll on out of the theater like you just performed yourself.

See New York like never before. Experience a luxurious new perspective on this incomparable city by making your way up the Hudson River, and enjoy the sights of the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, Central Park, Times Square, and so much more. This is New York City’s most extravagant and exhilarating sightseeing and photo opportunity. It will be an everlasting memory for you on your special trip to NYC.

This tour also includes the following sights: Columbia University, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, George Washington Bridge, New Jersey Palisades, The Freedom Tower, Yankee Stadium (except on game days), Chelsea Piers.

Helicopter tours are not private.

Helicopter tours are not available on Sundays.

We use Bell 407, Bell 427 or Eurocopter EC 130 helicopters. All have Avoidance Collision System.

Opened in 1883 after thirteen years of construction, the Brooklyn Bridge was built across the East River to connect Manhattan with the then-rural city of Brooklyn. From the beginning, the bridge’s designer, John A. Roebling, planned not just a structure of convenience, but a great work of art that would stand the test of time. The Brooklyn Bridge is a fully accessible bridge, with a center lane above traffic open to bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Your fully guided tour takes you on a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge; a walk taken every day by commuters and tourists, and during times of crisis, such as after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11.

The tour also includes an exploration around City Hall Park and the DUMBO neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Almost a city unto itself, Harlem is one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world. Founded by the Dutch in 1658, Harlem was once farmland and the first US home of hundreds of thousands of European immigrants. The center of New York City’s African American culture, Harlem is a diverse neighborhood with a vibrant and influential history. Your fully guided tour explores the changing face of Harlem, with special focus on the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. A literary, music, drama, and art revival in Harlem, the Renaissance period cultivated and nurtured the talents of great jazz musicians like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, and authors such as Zora Neale Hurston and W.E.B. Du Bois. Home to the famed Apollo Theater and Cotton Club, the effect of the Harlem Renaissance can still be felt in America’s artistic and cultural life today.

We can add a Gospel Choir experience on Sundays, additional hours will be required.

The most popular part of New York City is the area between Central Park and Battery Park. Within those borders are some of the world’s most famous places: the Empire State Building, Chinatown, Grand Central Terminal, the 9/11 Memorial, the Brooklyn Bridge, the South Street Seaport, Washington Square Arch, Little Italy, Rockefeller Center, and Times Square. On tour with a private guide you will see, hear, and explore the city. In some cases you will get out and walk around so you can truly experience Gotham. This tour is customizable. We can focus on art, cuisine, architecture, walking, or a mix of everything.

These are attractions that can be added to your program. We suggest adding at least an additional hour of service for each attraction added.

One World Observatory, One Hour Harbor Cruise and/or National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Your private guide will take you to the 9/11 Memorial, a national tribute of remembrance and honor to those who perished in the attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 2003. You will also explore the National September 11 Museum, the principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11.

Now on the site is One World Trade and your tour will end by ascending to the top and experiencing One World Observatory. Look towards the horizon and feel the city’s invincible spirit. Take the iconic sights, surrounding waters, panoramic views of the skyline, and beyond from the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

New York traces its rich history to Lower Manhattan, the meeting point of the Hudson River and the East River. Originally named Nieuw (New) Amsterdam, New York City began as a small Dutch settlement in what is now known as Lower Manhattan. Broadway, which was then called Heere Straat (Gentleman Street), was nothing but a small road. Wall Street actually had a wall back in 1653 to protect the settlers from attacks. As the city grew, so did the nation. New York was the first capital of the United States and the spot where George Washington was inaugurated is marked by his statue. Over the years, Lower Manhattan has become the financial capital of the world. Today, the streets are teeming with people and filled with stories of New York’s past, present, and future. As you explore Lower Manhattan with your guide, you’ll see the 9/11 Memorial, St. Paul’s Chapel, Battery Park, and Trinity Church as you learn about the history of the Native Americans, Dutch, and English.

Like most of the developing city in the early years, SoHo (which stands for South of Houston Street – and by the way, it’s pronounced How-ston) started as a small village. Over time, the neighborhood went from the wealthiest, to the most industrial, to a slum called “Hell’s 100 acres.” Now it is back to trendy again. SoHo is one of the most stylish neighborhoods in New York City, with clues of its past around every corner. Several of its cast iron buildings built in the mid-1800s still stand. As you explore the area, you will get the feel of its many cobblestone streets. When artists arrived in SoHo in the 1970s, they began the revival of the neighborhood. You’ll visit two of SoHo’s famed art galleries, including the Earth Room. Next to SoHo is NoLIta – which is Northern Little Italy. The area is home to the old St. Patrick’s Cathedral. One story in particular your guide will impart is the 1799 murder of Elma Sands, the “Ghost of Spring Street.”

Until 1958, the building that houses the famous Chelsea Market was a Nabisco factory, and less than 20 years ago, it was used for light manufacturing.

Fifteen years ago, the area known as the Meatpacking District was known for just that, plus some really “interesting” night clubs, and many used the street as a place to do business.

About 10 years ago, the park called the High Line was an abandoned elevated railway and the park was only on paper.

Today, the area is one of the hottest in Manhattan. Chelsea Market has some of the best food purveyors in the city. Bring your appetite and get something to eat. The Meatpacking District, with its cobblestone streets, still has some grit and its checkered past along with all kinds of new development mixed in. You’ll learn a lot from your guide who will point out things only a professional will know. The most important addition to the area has been the High Line Park, which went from urban decay to metropolitan oasis. Walk a portion of the High Line with your guide as she tells you its secrets and stories.

Eating Your Way Through Manhattan: Midtown and Downtown Food Tasting Program

There is no better way to get to know a city than to eat its food. Food can be a time machine giving you an experience of the past. With your private guide, explore Midtown and Downtown Manhattan food sensations and sightseeing covering Hell’s Kitchen, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, and the Lower East Side. Norwegian smoked salmon (a NYC favorite) and Sicilian cannoli are just a few of the city’s delicious eats. Throughout the tour you will taste a variety of ethnic treats. The delectable delights will excite your stomach and are enough for lunch.

Join your architectural historian for a three-hour tour of some of the city’s most talked-about architecture. Many of the buildings are by Pritzker Prize-winning laureates from around the globe. You’ll view cutting edge designs that display striking shapes, unusual materials, and a number of environmentally-conscious works that have received LEED platinum ratings, such a Thom Mayne’s stunning new academic building in the East Village for the Cooper Union and Norman Foster’s crystalline Hearst Tower near Columbus Circle.

Real New Yorkers get around by subway and today, so will you. In fact, by the end of the day you will be swiping your MetroCard like a local. Start with a ride to Lower Manhattan and stop at Battery Park, which offers vistas of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Walk up Broadway and see the Bull, Bowling Green, Fearless Girl, Federal Hall, New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, and the National September 11 Memorial. Jump on the subway to Greenwich Village and see the famous Washington Square Arch and the main campus of the most expensive college in the USA, New York University. Your next ride will take you to Bryant Park, once a “no-go” location for even locals but now a prime destination for food, drinks, and shopping. Its eastern border is the main branch of the New York Public Library, a must-see when in Manhattan. Your final ride will take you to Central Park for a stroll on its idyllic paths.

Few city skylines are as recognizable as that of New York City. The Empire State Building, MetLife Building, Chrysler Building, and other iconic structures have featured prominently in film and television and have become part of America’s national identity.

On this fully guided tour, you will visit skyscrapers of every style, shape, and size. Learn why there are skyscrapers in some areas and not others, and why the Empire State Building used to be called the Empty State Building. The tour ends at Rockefeller Center, where you can take a trip to the top of the Rock, the 70th floor observation deck, if you wish.

One of the best-kept secrets of the City of New York is Brooklyn Heights, a beautiful district in Brooklyn. Some historians call it one of the first suburbs in the United States. Brooklyn Heights is unique as it radiates a hometown atmosphere while situated right next door to one of the most recognizable cityscapes in the world. In 1964, Brooklyn Heights was the first area designated as a New York City Historic District; you will understand why as you see Federal style homes built in the 1820s, brick and brownstone homes from the 1830s and 1840s, and two Italianate mansions that overlook Pierrepont Street.

Traditional and hip, city and suburb, historic and cutting edge, cultured and gritty; Brooklyn is a city unto itself (if it were to be a separate city, it would be one of the most populated in the USA and maybe the most culturally diverse). It is home to the neighborhoods of DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Park, Park Slope, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Promenade overlooking Lower Manhattan. Come discover what so many New Yorkers already know: Brooklyn is the real crossroads of the world.

See and taste at four venues across several neighborhoods. You’ll enjoy panoramic sky-line views, street walks, free time for browsing/shopping, and – of course – classic conversations on ethnic diversity, changing trends, and anything else that seems timely and appropriate. Our venues include a chocolatier in DUMBO, famous Brooklyn pizza, and a trip to the Middle East.

This Chelsea tour begins with an exploration of the Chelsea Market – learning about its history as the Nabisco factory (the birthplace of the Oreo in 1912!) and its creative conversion into a destination for food lovers.

A stroll on the High Line follows. The transformation of this abandoned elevated railway into a public park is discussed, along with spectacular views of the surrounding architecture and unique works of art created specifically for the structure. The tour finishes with visits to selected art galleries featuring the work of cutting-edge and established artists.

Chelsea boasts the greatest concentration of galleries anywhere. Situated in formerly industrial spaces, they feature the work of cutting-edge and established artists. Enjoy a lecture about the exhibitions as well as insight into the art business and collecting.

During the holidays in New York City there is something special in the air. It is not easy to describe, but it is something you sense when you see the lights, the people, and the hustle and bustle of holiday preparation. All New Yorkers have their favorite spot to “sense” the holidays. The Christmas Markets in Grand Central Station is one and the plaza at Lincoln Center is another. Many like to gaze at the stupendous windows of Macy’s and Sak’s, while the traditionalist will marvel at the wonder of 30,000 lights on the tree at Rockefeller Center. Come along with one of our New York guides and experience the holidays in New York; like no other place for the holidays. Your guide will take you to spots you have only seen in the movies and also their favorite spot, and if you have been nice and not naughty, maybe even reveal a secret or two about the holidays in New York. So, grab your Santa cap and come along for a ride of lights and smiling faces.

There are numerous ethnic groups in New York City, but only two have neighborhoods named after them: one is Little Italy, and the other is Chinatown.

Little Italy was formed in the late 1800s as millions of Italian immigrants streamed into the United States. And although nowadays you do not hear much Italian on the street, there are still old school establishments that carry on the traditions.

Chinatown on the other hand is still growing and when you enter it, it is like being transported to another country. All the signs are in Chinese, the languages spoken are all dialects of Chinese, the produce and food shops sell many items you will not recognize. It is submersion into another culture.

Join your guide on this walking tour and find out what is below the surface that makes both these neighborhoods even more unique and intriguing.

Where else can you see a castle, a sled dog, Alice in Wonderland, a pair of hawks, and a 4,000-year-old obelisk from Egypt in one place? You guessed it: Central Park is more than just a green space in the middle of Manhattan Island; it is an 843-acre oasis 150 years in the making and a favorite retreat for New Yorkers of all walks of life. An essential part of the urban landscape, Central Park is something that no New Yorker could live without. It fits into the Manhattan environment so naturally that many people never realize it is entirely man-made. Follow your guide on the winding paths and over the bridges and through the tunnels, and learn how the architects Olmsted and Vaux created New York’s “backyard.”

The Bronx still surprises even native New Yorkers. Most notably known for its world famous baseball team, it also has beaches, a New England fishing village, a globally recognized zoo, a botanical garden, and countless historic sites. Over the years, it has been home to Tony Curtis, Anne Bancroft, Edgar Allen Poe, Colin Powell, and Ralph Lauren, as well as the many different immigrant groups that have shaped the borough. Step into the Bronx where you and your guide will weave yourselves into yet another thread of the fabric of New York.

Highlights of the tour are: Yankee Stadium (tour can be included), Bronx Zoo (entrance can be included), Arthur Avenue (the real Little Italy), City Island, Wave Hill (entrance and/or tour can be included), New York Botanical Garden (entrance and/or tour can be included).

Explore New York’s “Real” Little Italy: the Belmont section of the Bronx along Arthur Avenue where many Italian immigrants settled after building the Bronx Zoo. A proud Bronx resident takes you to some of her most cherished spots to taste some of the best authentic Italian treats available in New York. See the ribbons of fresh pasta, warm, fresh mozzarella being made before your eyes, and cigars being rolled by hand. Munch on cheese, sweet cannoli, and many more delicious tastings!

Astoria, as you might guess, was named for millionaire merchant John Jacob Astor, in the hopes that America’s then-richest man might bestow some of his fortune on this area of northwestern Queens. He eventually invested $500 in the area, but reportedly never set foot there. Today, Astoria is one of New York City’s most culturally diverse neighborhoods and home to cultural institutions, food destinations, and shopping. Known primarily as a traditionally Greek neighborhood, Astoria is home to a significant number of residents of Italian, Brazilian, Baltic, Irish, and Egyptian descent, as well as a new set of émigrés – young, hip, creative types drawn to the neighborhood’s affordable housing, inexpensive amenities, and short commute to Manhattan. There is much to enjoy in the neighborhood.

A visit to the Museum of the Moving Image and/or the Louis Armstrong House Museum can be added to the tour.

Discover how the Lower East Side evolved as it welcomed wave after wave of immigrants, including the Irish, Germans, Eastern Europeans, Italians, Chinese, and Latin Americans. Learn about life in the tenements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. You will see what people endured to come to America and learn how they lived, worked, and made the best of what they had. Every culture that passed through the Lower East Side has left its mark; discover an intact synagogue from 1887, and another synagogue that is now a Buddhist temple. Before the arrival of the immigrants, the area was a farmland. In fact, Orchard Street on the Lower East Side was named for what it once ran through: Mr. de Lancy’s orchards. Several stops will be made along the way to illustrate the area’s rich history.

Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park: these three sights make up one of the most popular triangles in the world. All within walking distance of one another, they are three of the most visited places in New York City. This walking tour will take you to each location, showing specific highlights and pointing out well-known locations from television and motion pictures.

Central Park

More than just a green space in the middle of Manhattan Island, it is an 843-acre oasis, 150 years in the making, and a favorite retreat for New Yorkers. An essential part of the urban landscape, Central Park is a place no New Yorker can live without. You will follow your guide on the park’s winding paths, over the bridges, through the tunnels, and learn how the architects Olmsted and Vaux created New York’s “backyard”.

Times Square

Also known as “The Great White Way”, located at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. Don’t let the name fool you, it is actually more a triangle of intersecting major streets. It got its name when the NY Times building was built there, long before it was a showcase of neon lights and jumbo digital screens, and the name has stuck ever since.

Rockefeller Center

Located in the center of Midtown Manhattan and a complex of 19 commercial buildings, it is NYC’s top tourist attraction. John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s resolution to make Rockefeller Center contemporary and innovative can be felt with every artwork and attraction.

Greenwich Village is among Manhattan’s most desirable and expensive residential neighborhoods. With stunning street grids, societal conventions, and commercial developers, the West Village has proudly displayed its hard-won heritage for centuries. You will be lead through some of the neighborhood’s most enchanting sites, revealing extraordinary histories, architectural delights, and secrets unknown even to many New Yorkers. Stroll along genteel Commerce Street, with its restored Federal-style residences and historic Cherry Lane Theater. Around the corner on Bedford Street, view a former speakeasy which discreetly plied its boozy trade during the 1920s Prohibition era. Pass by one of the narrowest pieces of real estate on the island of Manhattan on Grove Street. Your tour includes sights of historical significance and your guide has stories to share with you about each.

Your tour begins in Tokyo’s electronics heartland, known as Electric Town, at the J.R. Akihabara railway station. We’ll stroll through the frenetic, neon-lit streets to nearby Manseibashi Station, where we will stop to admire and discuss how the city has cleverly repurposed many of its old buildings. Built in 1912, the original station was destroyed by an earthquake in 1923, leaving only its platform and some stairs, which remain today. The rebuilt station was then closed in 1943 and has been spookily nicknamed “the Ghost Station.” Re-generation occurred in 2013 after the station was transformed into a collection of trendy boutiques and restaurants known as mAAch ecute Kanda Manseibashi, which the trains still regularly pass through, giving this shopping mall a quirky edge! Next, we will head towards the Hitachino Brewing Lab to find out more about the Japanese craft beer boom.

This historic company has been making sake since the early 19th century, and started making beer in 1994. We will taste some of the 10 craft beers that are available on tap, paired with some delicious local snacks, and chat to the brewery staff about how their beer is made. A walk through the larger-than-life Akihabara neighbourhood follows. The buildings here are a riot of color, proudly displaying anime images almost everywhere you go! Stop to take a group picture inside a quirky photo booth that will make you look like an anime character yourself, with big eyes and perfect skin. We’ll arrive at 2K540 Aki-Oka Artisan, an urban space under the train tracks that used to be a car park but is now home to 50 shops and cafes. The retail offering focuses on artisan products from across the country, so it’s a great place to peruse for meaningful souvenirs to take home. We will stop at Nocra, renowned for its lifelike wooden toys from the north of Japan. T We will spend some time with Pepper, learn about the processes that go into developing these high-tech robots and interact with them in English. A short subway ride will take us into the heart of Tokyo, where we will pass by the Imperial Palace.

The emperor and empress of Japan reside behind the pretty moats that surround it, with 300 police officers and more than a thousand staff members on hand to support them! Godzilla is next on our Tokyo agenda, no doubt the unspoken icon of the city for nearly a century. Tokyo is fascinated by Godzilla and isn’t shy about celebrating his notoriety, with statues and street art dedicated to him all over the city. We will check out the latest Godzilla statue to spring up; this 2018 statue, modelled on a 2016 movie, replaced a 1995 version (like we said, Godzilla is much loved in Tokyo!). Finally, after a busy afternoon of sightseeing, we will settle in at Matsuso, a typical izakaya (a kind of Japanese pub). Like many izakaya, it’s nestled under the train tracks, allowing commuters to stop in for a quick drink or a snack on their way home from work. We will sit down with the bar owner, who previously worked in real estate, to chat about his business and what makes this location under the train tracks so special to the locals. New York Times Reading List: In Tokyo, Stories on Their Wrists An Unassuming Tokyo Enclave Is Having Its Moment A Japanese Street Wear Designer Wins LVMH’s Prize for Emerging Talent From Hiroshima to Tule Lake, Films About Japan and America In Rural Japan, Lifting a Shrine and Building a Friendship In Pursuit of Cartoonish Perfection in a Japanese Rice Bowl Review: ‘Ascent’ of Mount Fuji, Guided by Over 4,000 Images

What could be better than a guided bike ride in Central Park, the first landscaped public park in the USA? Your guide, a city-licensed professional, rides alongside you and shows you all that the park has to offer: Bethesda Fountain, hidden waterfalls, cast-iron bridges, movie scenes, celebrity homes, and skyscrapers, all while passing beneath many of the park’s 26,000 trees. You’ll learn the history of New York City, told in terms of the development of the city and its parks. You’ll bike right up to Strawberry Fields, the memorial to the life of John Lennon, to see the famous building where he lived, and much more! The bike tour is two hours.

Picnic Lunch

The Gold Picnic is one of our personalized, butler-serviced picnics. We create a personalized picnic experience that includes the best meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, and crudités New York City has to offer, just for you, and we never forget something special for dessert. When you arrive at your picnic spot, one of our picnic experts will have everything set up, ready and waiting for you. When you’re finished, simply walk away. We take care of the clean up!

Meet your horse and carriage at the corner of 59th Street and 5th Avenue. Take a leisurely ride through Central Park, seeing the South End Quadrant (Central Park South to the Lake, just north of Terrace Drive), which includes the views from the small loop plus Balto’s Statue, Summer Stage, Conservatory Water, the Bandshell, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Chery Hill, the Lake, Strawberry Fields, the Dakota building where John Lennon lived, Tavern on the Green, Sheep Meadow, and Columbus Circle. The carriage ride is 45 minutes. During the ride you will be met by your hot chocolate concierge who will have homemade hot chocolate and cookies for you.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States. It is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy. The views of the Statue from the water are breathtaking and reminiscent of what immigrants first saw entering New York Harbor.

Ellis Island

Ellis Island opened in 1892 and was the entry point for European immigrants for more than 60 years. Twelve million people passed through the halls that are now the historical Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Walk through the Great Hall as the new Americans once did – ancestors of more than half of the US population. You can search for your family surname on the American Immigrant wall of Honor. With over 600,000 entries, it is the longest wall of names in the world.

Drive to Manhattan Beach, the more upscale neighborhood of Brighton Beach, with its beautiful single-family homes form the late 19th century. You will begin to think that you are no longer in New York, but a Russian city. The shops’ signage is in a foreign alphabet and the markets are full of Russian-made goods. Besides the ethnic attraction, it was also the childhood home of writer/producer/comedian Mel Brooks and playwright Neil Simon, who put the neighborhood on the stage with Brighton Beach Memoirs. Your guide will take you through the historic sights and shops.

As you enter the ever-popular, world-famous Coney Island, the first thing you will notice is that it’s not an island. Coney Island was connected to Brooklyn with landfill in 1920; now it is best known for hotdogs, amusement parks, and the Cyclone. Coney Island is full of iconic history that has created the legend it’s become. You will walk along the famous boardwalk and even dip a toe in the Atlantic Ocean.

A two-and-a-half-hour drive from New York City or a 30-minute helicopter ride will whisk you to a wonderland of opulence, exquisite scenery, magical forests, world class beaches and charming villages known as The Hamptons, the playground of the rich and famous.

Your guide will escort you through the historic Southampton Village, the oldest English settlement in New York State, through former farmlands, now the location of the estates of its celebrated residents. A stop at America’s Number 1 beach – Cooper’s Beach is a must. Taking a stroll on Cooper’s is a sublime experience and affords a firsthand look at where Southampton Village’s residents like to relax, enjoy a swim or eat at its renowned café. From there, your journey will take you to the heart of Southampton Village’s shopping district where your guide will point out Village landmarks including, Hildreth’s, America’s oldest department store, the charming boutiques of Job’s Lane and the delightful eateries that line the tree lined and lushly planted streets. From Southampton Village you will travel the route to Conscience Point, the location where the English settlers landed in 1640. A short walk to the Point gives you the opportunity to take in the natural beauty of Southampton’s Peconic Bay. Our journey continues to Sag Harbor, once the center of the whaling industry, now the home of historic neighborhoods, fabulous yachts, excellent restaurants and wonderful shops. There is an option to stop at the Whaling Museum where you will hear the amazing history of whaling in Sag Harbor and or the Whaler’s Church. Lunch will be in Sag Harbor Village where there is the largest concentration of restaurants in the Hamptons including the historic American Hotel among many other fine eateries. The tour continues to Sagaponack, America’s most expensive zip code as well as Bridgehampton. Once again we will travel past some of the most beautiful homes in the country. From Steven Spielberg to Ina Garten, your guide will be sure to tell you who lives in many of the homes on the route. While in East Hampton and if time permits, we will stop at the Ladies Village Improvement Society Thrift Shop where many celebrated locals donate items that are practically new. A purchase from this famed thrift store is the perfect souvenir of your day in the Hamptons and helps sustain National Geographic’s description of East Hampton as one of the most beautiful Villages in the United States.

As there are many touring options on the East End of Long Island encompassing the Villages that are known as The Hamptons and the North Fork, home of 40 wineries, tours can be tailored to your interests. From private gardens to renowned museums and galleries and high profile social and cultural events, a visit to the East of Long Island will be a memorable experience.

The excitement begins when you meet your guide, car, and driver at your hotel to start. You will experience New York City today by land, sea, and air. Start off with a short sightseeing tour on the way to the pier to board your yacht.

Say goodbye to the crowds, lines, and hassles of boarding a public sightseeing cruise; your private yacht awaits. Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast while you cruise by the World Trade Center, Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Intrepid, and so much more. On board, your private guide will be there to share stories about New York City and its harbor, and point out interesting sites.

After your private cruise, proceed to the heliport to get a bird’s eye view of New York City. Experience a new perspective on this incomparable city on a 30-minute helicopter tour. You’ll see wonders like the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, and other famous landmarks. It will be an everlasting memory for you on your special trip to New York City.

Almost a city unto itself, Harlem is one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world. Founded by the Dutch in 1658, Harlem was once farmland and the first US home of hundreds of thousands of European immigrants. The center of New York City’s African American culture, Harlem is a diverse neighborhood with a vibrant and influential history. Your fully guided tour explores the changing face of Harlem, with special focus on the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. A literary, music, drama, and art revival in Harlem, the Renaissance period cultivated and nurtured the talents of great jazz musicians like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, and authors such as Zora Neale Hurston and W.E.B. Du Bois. Home to the famed Apollo Theater and Cotton Club, the effect of the Harlem Renaissance can still be felt in America’s artistic and cultural life today.

Bronx

The Bronx is the only borough actually connected to the North American continent. It gets its name from the Bronx River, named for Jonas Bronck, one of the first settlers in the 1600s. The Bronx continues to surprise even native New Yorkers. Most notably known for its world-famous baseball team, it also has beaches, a globally recognized zoo, a botanical garden, and countless historic sites. Over the years, it has been home to Tony Curtis, Anne Bancroft, Edgar Allen Poe, Colin Powell, and Ralph Lauren, as well as the many different immigrant groups that have shaped the borough. Step into the Bronx and you will weave yourself into yet another thread of the fabric of New York.

Brooklyn

As you depart the Bronx for Brooklyn, the route will take you through Queens, driving by Citi-Field (where the Mets play baseball), the Billie Jean King Tennis Complex (home of the US Open), and Flushing-Corona Park (home of the 1939 World’s Fair Globe). Arrive in Brooklyn, the real crossroads of the word. Traditional and hip, city and suburb, historic and cutting edge, cultured and gritty, Brooklyn is a city unto itself (if it were to be a separate city, it would be one of the most populated in the USA and maybe the most culturally diverse). Once the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, it is now the new home of the Nets basketball team, playing at the brand-new Barclays Center. You and your guide enter at the northern edge and travel through Williamsburg (including the large Hasidic Community), Ft. Greene, Brooklyn Heights, and DUMBO.

“All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River.”- FDR

This quote captures FDR’s connection to Springwood, the estate that he loved and the place he considered home. The first US Presidential Library was started by FDR here. Visit the home of FDR and Presidential Library & Museum to learn about the only President elected to four terms.

Walkway Over The Hudson

Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park is a linear walkway spanning the Hudson River. At 212 feet tall and 1.28 miles long, it is the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. The park is managed and maintained by NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation - Taconic Region. Walkway State Park officially opened to the public on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

Crown Maple at Madava Farms

The home of Crown Maple, Madava Farms is situated on 800 acres of pristine, sustainably managed land in Dutchess County, New York, located in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Its century-old sugar and red maples have ideal terroir and seasonal weather conditions to produce a superior sap for maple sugaring. It is also home to the most advanced maple syrup production facility in the country, where the pure sap collected from the eco-friendly maple groves meets the latest in green, organic production techniques to produce a distinct and versatile product. Madava Farms offers many vistas from which to enjoy breathtaking seasonal colors and views across the Hudson and Harlem Valleys, and is a unique experience. (one-hour tour)

Visit historic Hyde Park with a grand tour of both Roosevelt homes and a visit to one of the masterpieces of the Gilded Age. Your Hudson Valley guide will detail the area’s human history, geology, wine making, and more.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

“All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River.”- FDR

This quote captures FDR’s connection to Springwood, the estate that he loved and the place he considered home. The first US Presidential Library was started by FDR here. Visit the home of FDR and Presidential Library & Museum to learn about the only President elected to four terms.

Staatsburgh State Historic Site

Staatsburgh State Historic Site was the elegant country home of
Ogden Mills and his wife Ruth Livingston Mills. Sitting atop a grassy hill
overlooking the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, their house is a fine
example of a great estate built by America’s financial and industrial leaders
during the Gilded Age. In the 1890s, Mr. and Mrs. Mills commissioned the
prestigious New York City architectural firm of McKim Mead and White to remodel
and enlarge their home. A year later, the house had been transformed from a
25-room Greek Revival style home into a Beaux-Arts mansion of 65 rooms and 14
bathrooms.

Lyndhurst, a historic site of the National Trust, is one of the great domestic landmarks of America. A visit to the house and its 67-acre park is a must for all who are interested in 19th-century architecture, decorative arts, and landscape design. Lyndhurst was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis (1803-1892) in the gothic revival style. Davis completed this first phase in 1842, and designed much of the furniture. In 1864, Lyndhurst's owner hired Davis to more than double its size.

Kykuit: The Rockefeller Estate

Kykuit is a preeminent Hudson Valley landmark. For architecture, remarkable gardens, art, history, and spectacular scenery, a trip to Kykuit is simply amazing. This hilltop paradise was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, beginning with the philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His business acumen made him, in his day, the richest man in America. Now a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this extraordinary landmark has been continuously and meticulously maintained for more than 100 years.

Union Church

Visitors marvel at the colorful rose window created for the church by Henri Matisse. The design for the window was his last work of art before his death in 1954. The commission, spearheaded by Nelson A. Rockefeller, honors the memory of his mother, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Mrs. Rockefeller, one of the founders of the Museum of Modern Art, admired Matisse, collected his work, and entertained him in her home in New York City.

The glorious Good Samaritan window by Marc Chagall is a memorial to Abby Aldrich Rockefeller's husband, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Their son David Rockefeller masterminded the commission in 1963, which later expanded to include all eight windows in the nave of the church.